
4PK* 


(^opyrigfir^d 1889 

//^LoUGHLIN Bro's 
JSTEW-YORK 




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FRISKY, THE SQUIRREL. 




BY C. E. B. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 

dljap. zL“ - (Bopijrio^t 

Shelf 

UNITED STATES OE AMERICA. 


ONE day a wounded squirrel lay 
Half dead upon the ground ; 

A hunter passing with his gun, 
The little creature found. 


But care and skill will wonders work ; 

And I am glad to tell, 

That very soon through Archie’s care, 
It grew quite strong and well. 


^ Young Archie Gray, of Fawley Hall, 
Was also in the wood, 

And begged that he might take it home 
To save it, if he could. 


Ere long the merry little thing 
Was sociable and tame, 

And being very frolicksome, 

“ Frisky” became its name. 


The hunter shook his head in doubt ; 

“ ’Twas too far gone,” he said, 

He fear’d that ere the morning came, 
The squirrel would be dead. 


He’d spring and gambol round the room. 
Performing antics droll ; 

Or climb, and gravely take his seat 
Upon the curtain pole. 


FRISKY, THE SQUIRREL. 



And there, curl’d up so warm and snug, 
He’d put himself to bed ; 

His nose tuck’d in between his paws, 
His tail wound round his head. 


When, wearied out with all his play, 
He felt inclined to sleep, 

He’d gently steal to Archie’s side, 
Then in his pocket creep. 


Summer and Autumn pass’d away 
Frisky was six months old ; 
When suddenly a frost set in ; 

The air grew keen and cold. 


And many gather’d on the banks 
The pleasant sight to see, 

Of skaters gliding o’er the ice 
So quick and merrily. 


The old folks shiv’ring, drew their chairs 
Close to the warm fireside ; 

The young ones hasten’d to the ponds, 
Rejoiced to skate and slide. 


Now Archie thought that he should like 
To try and learn to skate, 

Though quite aware that many falls 
At first would be his fate. 





“ Voung Anchie Gnay, oj 
Fawley Hall, 

Was also in the wood 

And begged that he 
might take it home 
To save it if he could 7 


JtKfc' 

4-.: y--''- 





“As soon as Anehie tried 
his skates. 

He got a descale fall — 

A fate awaiting every 
one 

Who cannot skate 

at all!” 



FRISKY, THE SQUIRREL. 


He knew a pond near Carlton wood, 
About a mile from home ; 

And there he thought he’d go, because 
No other boys would come. 

His mother warn’d him to be sure 
And leave before ’twas dark ; 

And not to take the public road, 

But go across the park. 

Protected well against the cold, 

Young Archie walk’d away ; 

Whilst in the pocket of his coat 
The little squirrel lay. 

As soon as Archie tried his skates, 

He got a desperate fall— 

A fate awaiting ev’ry one 
Who cannot skate at all ! 



Poor Frisky getting bump’d and thump’d, 
Squeak’d out with fright and pain, 

And Archie thought it would not do 
To serve him thus again. 

So slipping off his over-coat, 

In which the squirrel lay, 

He placed it gently on the ground, 
Supposing he would stay. ^ 

Frisky, more frighten’d far than hurt, 

Lay curl’d up like a ball, 

Indulging in a fit of sulks, 

Because he’d had a fall. 

Then Archie hasten’d back to skate, 

And in his heart was glad, 

No one was standing by to see 
The tumbles that he had. 

But as he wisely persever’d, 

He grew expert at last ; 

And ’twas with much regret he found 
His time of leave was past. 

To fetch the squirrel and his coat 
Was now the boy’s first care ; 

Imagine then his great dismay 
To find he was not there ! 


FRISKY, THE SQUIRREL. 


He search’d about, but not a trace 
Of Frisky could lie see ; 

Except some nut-shells he had left 
Beneath a neighb’ring tree. 


But suddenly whilst there he sat, 
He caught his master’s eyes ; 
Who, shouting joyfully, ran off. 
Hoping to seize his prize. 



At home, he always used to come 
In answer to his name ; 

But now, though Archie loudly call’d, 
No little Frisky came. 


Yet all this time upon a gate 
Which led within the wood, 

Scarcely a stone’s throw from the pond, 
A little figure stood. 


“No, no,” thought Frisky, “free I am, 
And free I mean to be !” 

So, just as Archie reach’d the gate, 

He sprang upon a tree. 


’Twas Frisky, brandishing his tail 
And looking round with glee ; 
Most likely thinking to himself, 

“ How sweet is liberty ! ” 


Over the gate with lightning speed 
His eager master flew, 

No farther could he follow him, 

The cunning squirrel knew. 









FRISKY, THE SQUIRREL. 


So, climbing to an upper branch, 

He sat there quite at ease, 

Seeming as if he thought it fun 
His master thus to tease. 

For as poor Archie stood below, 

In very mournful case, 

The rogue threw down some wither’d leaves 
Upon his upturn’d face ! 

And then from tree to tree he sprang, 
Thinking it famous fun 

To keep his master going too 
As fast as he could run. 

The wood was getting very dark, 

For now ’twas nearly night ; 

No longer could poor Archie keep 
The squirrel in his sight. 

His heart was sad and sorrowful, 

He felt all hope was o’er ; 

Frisky, too charm’d with liberty, 

Would come again no more! 

Another trouble now arose, 

He found he’d lost his way ; 

And fear’d that in the lonely wood 
He all night long must stay. 


Fill’d with alarm, the boy began 
Most bitterly to cry ; 

He dreaded lest perhaps with cold 
And hunger he should die. 

Two long hours pass’d, yet there he was, 
Still toiling to and fro ; 

As far as ever from the point 
To which he ought to go. 



His teeth were chatt’ring with the cold, 
His fingers numb’d by frost ; 

And dreadful stories fill’d his mind 
Of people who’d been lost. 

At length he sunk upon the ground, 
Completely wearied out ; 

His limbs felt stiff, his strength was gone 
From wandering about. 


FRISKY, THE SQUIRREL. 


Now very soon the moon arose. 

With soft and silv’ry light ; 

And full of comfort to the boy 
Was such a cheering sight. 

He found that close beside him stood 
A large old hollow tree ; 

And thought that if he crept inside, 
Much warmer he would be. 

Some of the bark had crumbled off. 
Leaving an opening wide ; 

And, putting in his hand, he found 
A heap of leaves inside. 

These, being very soft and dry, 

Would serve him for a bed ; 

But Archie would not go to rest 
Before his prayers were said. 

How thankfully he call’d to mind 
That God could hear a prayer, 

Olfer’d from church, or house, or wood — 
For God is ev’rywhere. 



He knelt with boyish confidence, 
Protection to implore ; 

And when he rose, no longer felt 
As lonely as before. 

Then through the op’ning I have nam’d 
Within the tree he crept, 

And soon upon his leafy bed 
He comfortably slept. 

At home, his absence after dark 
Had caused intense alarm, 

Lest some occurrence unforseen, 

Had brought the boy to harm. 

And anxiously they sallied forth, 

And sought him all around ; 

But long in vain — no trace of him 
Could anywhere be found. 

At length his father, in the search, 

The hollow tree espied ; 

He held his lantern to the hole, 

And threw its light inside. 

A joyful sight it must have been 
His truant boy to see, 

Unhurt and safe, and slumb’ring sound, 
Within the shelt’ring tree. 



But suddenly whilst there 
he sat. 

He eaught his masters eyes; 
Who shouting joyfully, 
p an off, 

Hohing to seize bis f) p,ze ’* 











All of a sudden Archie 
starts, 

Then gives a joyous shouts 
No wonder! from his 
coat behold, 

"The squirrel has 

sprung out. 






FRISKY, THE SQUIRREL. 


“ Archie, my lad ! ” the father cried, 
“You’ve found a cosy place 

In which to sleep, whilst giving me 
A very anxious chase ! 

“ Wake up ! wake up ! and let us haste 
To calm your mother’s fear ; 

And tell me, as we walk along, 

What can have brought you here ! ” 

Archie arous’d, was quite perplex’d 
To think where he could be ; 

He wonder’d much to find himself 
Inside a hollow tree ! 

But as his memory recall’d 
All that had lately pass’d, 

Thankful, indeed, was he to know 
That help had come at last. 


And then he told them how he’d tried 
To follow Frisky’s flight ; 

And wandering on, had been at length 
O’ertaken by the night. 

’Tis scarcely needful here to tell 
How great his mother’s joy, 

When safe and sound within her arms 
She found her missing boy. 

Welcome to Archie’s dazzled eyes 
The cheerful room and light, 

And not less welcome, we suspect, 

His supper was to-night. 

But more than ever now he miss’d 
His merry little pet ; 

He thought of all his winning ways 
And antics with regret. 

They both had liv’d so happily 
Companions day by day ; 
He felt as though a friend he 
lov’d 

Were taken quite away. 

All of a sudden Archie starts, 
Then gives! a joyous shout ; 
No wonder! From his coat 
behold, 

The squirrel has sprung out ! 



FRISKY, THE SQUIRREL. 




And now he made him understand 
By signs which Archie knew, 
That, having fasted like himself, 
He wanted supper too. 


/. there he’d been, he never thought 
Of running quite away ; 

Though he had teased his master thus, 

It all had been in play. 

High on a branch he kept a watch 
On Archie down below ; 

And saw him when the moon appear’d 
Within the old tree go. 

All fun was over now ; he knew 
’Twas time to be in bed ; 

And found it very cold to sit 
Upon a bough instead. 

At length he thought he’d scramble down 
Within the tree to peep ; 

Where, as the reader is aware, 

Archie was fast asleep. 

At once the cunning fellow saw 
The best thing he could do, 

Would be to creep within the hole, 

And go to sleep there too ! 

He mov’d so very noiselessly, 

No sound had Archie heard ; 

Though Frisky slid inside his coat, 

He neither woke nor stirr’d. 

So all this time, whilst he suppos’d 
His little pet had fled, 

There he was lying, warm and snug 
Within his usual bed. * 


He stretch’d his limbs, and washed his face, 
As soon as he’d been fed, 

Then he and Archie, both tired out, 

Were glad to go to bed. 

’Tis said, as Frisky older grew, 

He learnt to mend his ways, 

And never after this event 
Play’d truant all his days. 

I’ve finished now, n»y little friends, 

The tale I had to tell, ' 

And, hoping that you have beelr amused, 







